July 11th, 2010
Racing with Cars
Automobile racing began soon after the first cars were built. Although some cars used for racing are so specialized that they are quite useless on the streets, most differ only slightly from standard makes and thus can be used for ordinary driving as well as racing. Racing cars are usually single seaters built solely for racing. Sports cars that seat two people are true dual purpose cars which can be raced or used for street driving.
The kinds of races are typically differentiated by the courses on which they are run. One kind is the oval track while another is a run on public roads closed off for the race or on a special track designed to simulate the conditions of actual road racing. Still another is a run on a straight course which is actually a race against the clock rather than against other cars.
A gasoline car engine starts working when the ignition key is turned which closes a switch that provides electricity to the battery. Energy for the starter is given by the electricity which turns the geared flywheel attached to the crankshaft’s gear. This in turn makes the fuel pump draw gasoline from the gas tank to force it into the carburetor where it will mix with air. The vaporous mixture produced is received by the individual cylinders through the intake manifold and intake valves.
The personalities behind the original BMW included Karl Friedrich Rapp who earlier established Rapp-Motorenwerke and Gustav Otto of Gustav Flugmaschinefabrik. Otto was the son of the man who invented the four-stroke internal combustion engine. Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke or Bavarian Aircraft Works was formed when the two companies merged. It soon became the Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH and was formally reorganized as such in March 7, 1916. 
Primarily designed to carry people from one place to another, cars should be equipped with features that would ensure safety of its passengers. Car safety becomes an even more major concern when the vehicle is intended to serve the needs of a family. Although entertainment features ensure that kids stay pacified during the trip, it is the safety features that could guarantee that the family is protected enough to be able to enjoy the many joys of life such as entertainment.
ESC gives the driver more control during maneuvers that are urgent in nature. It uses sensors for close monitoring of the vehicle’s actual path as related to the intended path using inputs on steering, brake and throttle.
The development of an automobile or car typically takes two and a half to three years to complete before actual production takes place. This is quite understandable since car manufacturers are not only concerned with the aesthetics of its creation but also with the efficiency and safety standards that should automatically come with any car model offered. Even with such time devoted to development, product recalls have become quite common in the past years with some defects manifesting themselves only several years after introduction to the market.
What is important pertains to the matter of smooth shifting, good performance and fuel economy. Traditionally, manual transmissions provide better mileage than automatics but this is beginning to change with the new generation of electronically controlled automatics.